Chto Delat withdraws from Manifesta 10

In solidarity with the Peace March in Moscow today Chto Delat announces its decision to withdraw from Manifesta 10

On March 11th, Manifesta Foundation responded to recent calls for boycotts, cancelation and postponement of Manifesta 10, planned to open at the State Hermitage Museum in early summer.

In this long-awaited statement, the foundation announced that it will not cancel under the present circumstances. Also, presumably responding to calls for the exhibition’s radicalization, curator Kasper König reaffirmed his commitment to a group show demonstrating the broadest possible spectrum of art’s possibilities, emphasizing that his contract allows artistic freedom – within the limits of the Russian law – and that he will (try) to keep the show free of censorship. But at the same time, he also restated his dislike for “cheap provocations” in topical political references, warning that Manifesta 10 at Hermitage could be “misused by political actors as a platform for their own self-righteous representation,” and insisting that “it is [his] hope to present far more than just commentary on the present political circumstances.” (http://manifesta.org/2014/03/manifesta-10-will-stay-in-st-petersburg/). It is clearly art over politics. Kaspar König’s most recent statement denigrates any attempts to address the present situation in Russia by artistic means, demoting them to “self-righteous representation” and “cheap provocation” and thus effectively preemptively censoring them.
We see now from this official reaction that neither curator nor institution are capable of rising to the challenge of a dramatically evolving political situation, and we cannot be held hostage by its corporate policies, however reasonable they would sound under different circumstance.
For this reason, we, the artists of Chto delat, have decided to withdraw our participation from the exhibition at Hermitage.

As we have said before, we are generally against boycotts and especially as far as international cultural projects in Russia are concerned. A cultural blockade will only strengthen the position of reactionary forces at a time when the marginalized anti-war movement in Russia so desperately needs solidarity. But our aim at least should be to turn every cultural project into a manifestation of dissent against the Russian government’s policy of violence, repressions, and lies. Even if you are staging Shakespeare or exhibiting Matisse, the task of culture today is to find the artistic language to bring home that simple message.

Sadly, Manifesta cannot rise to this challenge. Had the situation remained as it was, with a soft authoritarianism continuing to stagnate in Russia, the project might have been a positive factor for the further development of a fledgling public sphere. But as conditions worsen and reactionary forces grow stronger by the day, Manifesta has shown that it can respond with little more than bureaucratic injunctions to respect law and order in a situation where any and all law has gone to the wind. For that reason, any participation in the Manifesta 10 exhibition loses its initial meaning.

We have sympathy for the views expressed in the personal statement by Joanna Warsza, curator of Manifesta 10’s public program, and we would only be too happy to continue supporting her efforts. Nevertheless, her statement has a private quality, and the dangers to the project – censorship, manipulations of meaning, and intimidation, which she describes so accurately, are inevitable under current political escalation.

Warsza precisely describes the choice between engagement and the desire to stay on the sidelines. Our own choice also lies with engagement, but in forms of action and artistic expression for which we can take responsibility in this new situation. As the only “living” local participants of Kaspar König’s project, our withdrawal comes with the responsibility to address the local context and make an artistic statement independently of Manifesta, aiming for resonance both in Russia and internationally.

We are now beginning work on such a new project: a solidarity exhibition of Ukrainian and Russian artists, poets, intellectuals and cultural figures. At this terrible moment in our society’s history, we are ready to demonstrate our unity and the possibility of taking action against the war together, rising above the flood of hate, lies, manipulation, and direct violence, and not above politics.

We do not know how, when, or where this project will take place, but we are sure that working toward its realization, and not self-representation at Manifesta-Hermitage exhibition, is the only responsible way to proceed.

My name is Cheryl Ann Sigsbee.
I am an American citizen living and working in St. Petersburg, Russia since January of 1991.

I was saddened to read in the article entitled “Manifesta Curator Considers Cancelling Biennale” (St. Petersburg Times, June 11, 2014) that Manifesta is under political and economic pressure to cancel Manifesta 10 hosted by the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia (June 28 – October 31, 2014).
If indeed the article accurately reflects your statements and opinions, then I respectfully request that Manifesta and you personally reconsider the idea of canceling Manifesta 10 in St. Petersburg.

Knowing a little about Russian culture after having lived and worked in Russia for the past 24 years, my impression is that Mr. Piotrowsky took a significant professional and personal risk when he proposed the Hermitage Museum as host to the Manifesta 10 contemporary arts festival.
Out of respect for Mr. Piotrowsky, his hard work in bringing Manifesta 10 to St. Petersburg and the Hermitage Museum, and his philosophical vision in doing so, Manifesta 10 in St. Petersburg should definitely NOT be cancelled.

If indeed the approx. 2,000 people who signed a petition in favor of changing Manifesta 10’s location really want to help Russia overcome its at times intolerant nature, the best thing that they can do is in fact to SUPPORT Manifesta 10’s presence in St. Petersburg.
Since 1996, Manifesta has been held in 7 countries – The Netherlands, Luxemburg, Slovenia, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Belgium.
Manifesta 6 in Cyprus was cancelled in 2006, with the following statement being posted at http://manifesta10.org/en/home/history-of-manifesta/ :
“Manifesta’s planned, 6th edition, was to take the form of an art school in Nicosia, Cyprus.
Its cancellation deepened Manifesta’s awareness of the sensitivities of engaging with local political contexts and contested regions.”
While as I understand in 2006 it was the Cyprus side that cancelled Manifesta 6, this year it could be the Manifesta side that does the cancellation.
Such a cancellation could set a strong precedent for further politicized cancellations in the future.
In addition, we should keep in mind that in any country of the world (including the 7 named above), large groups of people can find quite justifiable and important causes to support in deciding whether to cancel various events and engage in other actions.
And, as regards my own beloved United States of America, at the age of 55 I can assure you that I have seen plenty of things that seriously concern me about my own country and its actions/inactions, including within the past several decades.
For me, the question becomes whether a particular cancellation or other action will further the goals of PEACE and COOPERATION in the world – as regards Manifesta 10, I think that there would be much more harm than good come from cancellation.

Regarding Manifesta 10’s problems with cash flow and the fact that its Russian staff has not been paid regularly, I am sure that St. Petersburg residents (including those that already volunteer at the Hermitage Museum) can come together to volunteer some of their free time to make Manifesta 10 a success
(see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermitage_Volunteer_Service and http://benevole.ru/en/index_en.html).
If there is anything specific that I can do to help, please let me know (I also may be able to enlist Victor to work with me).

Of all of the cities in Russia, St. Petersburg is a quite appropriate city for Manifesta 10 to be held in since much of Russia’s cultural and intellectual heritage historically has been concentrated in St. Petersburg. Whether we are talking about writers, poets, philosophers, historians, musicians, composers, conductors, inventors, scientists, mathematicians, entrepreneurs, artists, architects, royalty, government officials, ballerinas, figure skaters, gymnasts, football players, the more than 870-day Siege of Leningrad (Leningrad Blockade), or human rights activists, St. Petersburg stands at the forefront of innovation, endurance, inclusiveness, and PROGRESS.

Please allow St. Petersburg and its residents the opportunity to welcome Manifesta 10 to our beautiful and friendly city and to support Manifesta in its organizational model concentrating on openness, adaptability, and the transfer of knowledge (“The survival and growth of Manifesta’s organizational model is due to its openness of policy, its facility for adaptation, its key desire for the of transfer knowledge, and its continuous stream of activity, of which the exhibitions play an essential role” – http://manifesta.org/about-us/structure/).

In closing, to know Russia is to love her “warts and all”, while at the same time defending such universal values as respect, tolerance, kindness, goodwill, peace, cooperation, and trust.
Given strong desire and commitment, I am certain that Manifesta can come up with some creative and quite effective ways as a part of Manifesta 10 in St. Petersburg to address the grievances that Manifesta, its members, partners, and followers have with Russia in such a manner that Manifesta can HELP Russia and Russians to GROW TOLERANCE.
For example, Manifesta may choose to draft an official statement to be placed at the entrance to Manifesta 10 about WHY it seriously considered canceling Manifesta 10 in St. Petersburg and WHY ultimately it chose not to do so.
In addition, Manifesta may choose to reflect its views about its grievances with Russia in some of the artwork itself that is selected to be included in Manifesta 10.
While I can come up with other ideas for your consideration, suffice it to say that “where there is a will, there is ALWAYS a way”.

Finally, I did not have sufficient time to edit this letter to my usual liking, so if there is anything in this letter that offends you please know that this is definitely NOT my intent.
Rather, my intent is to bring more of us human beings together to support things such as Manifesta 10 that are dear to our hearts and intellects, all the while using our differences and grievances to build bridges to each other and to help each other grow.

Thank you so much for allowing me to share with you my concerns and for considering them with an objective and open spirit.

Respectfully submitted and with best regards for a successful Manifesta 10 at the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia,